Vehicle-brake.



Patented May l3, I902.

J. 0. RICHARDS.

VEHICLE BRAKE.

(Application filed Dec. 2, 1901.

(No Model.)

s n w 1 R UNITED STATES P TEN OFFICE.

JESSE D. RICHARDS, OF IVABASH, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE -HALF TO EDWARD GILLENWATER AND EBER BAKER, OF SIMS, INDIANA.

VEHICLE-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,089, dated May 1 3, 1902.

' Application filed December 2,1901. Serial No 84.334. (No model.)

To all whom it mctyconcern:

Be it known that I, JEssE D. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wabash, in the county of Wabash and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description'of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to carriages and wagous, but more particularly to brakes therefor, and has for its object to provide an automatic vehicle-brake. i

A further object of myinvention is to provide a vehicle-brake which operates as soon as there is a backward draft on the shafts or pole of the vehicle.

A further object of my invention is to provlde a vehicle-brake which is operated as above described when the vehicle is moving ahead, but which does not act when the vehicle is being backed 'ljhere are a number of automatic brakes which are controlled by the draft of horses upon the vehicle and which operate when said draft is in abackward direction. The majority of these brakes are efficient so long as the vehicle 1s moving ahead. As soon, however, as it becomes necessary to back the vehicle the draft of the horse or horses is in a backward direction and the brakes are on, and if the vehicle is to be backed the wheels must slide. It Is principally for the purpose of obviating this defect that I have made my present in-I vention, which has for its principal object to provide an automatic vehicle-brake which is controlled by the draft of the horse and which at the same time allows the vehicle to be freely backed.

With these objects in view my invention codnsists in the novel construction of my brakero My invention also consists in certain other novel features of construction and in comblnationof parts which will be hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention shafts.

in an operative position. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of my brake rods and shoes.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout both figures.

1 indicates the forward axle, and 2 the wheels.

3 indicates the shafts, and 4 the cross-piece, upon which the whiflietree is carried in the usual manner. Secured to the under side of said cross-piece on either side of the whiffletree-bolt are the brake-rods 6. Said brakerods are provided with forwardly-extending loops 7 at about their central points, and the ends of said brake-rods are bent rearwardly at right angles to said rods, and said ends are provided with brake-shoes 8 of any suitable material. It will be noticed that I form the lower portion ofmy brake-shoes round, as will be fully described.

On the under side of the shafts, opposite the cross-piece, I provide brake-rod guides 9, within which said brake-rods operate." Just outside of said guides and connected to said brake-rods are operating-rods 10, which are held tothe shafts by means of staples 1'1. Theends of said operating-rods are bent backwardly, so that the holdback-straps of the harness may be attached thereto.

Connecting withthe loops 7 inthe brakerods are spiral springs 12, havingtheir forward ends fastened to the under sides of the The tendency of said springs is to hold the brake-shoes away from the Wheels. I -providestops 13 on the under side of the shafts for-thepurpose of limiting the backward movement of the brake-rods.

Having thus described the several parts of my invention, its operation is as follows: When the horse holds back, the operatingrods press the brake-shoes in contact with the wheels, since theholdback-strap is connected to said'operating-rods, and thus the brakes are applied. WVhen, however-,it is desired to back the vehicle, the brake-shoes are brought into contact with the shoes, as above described; but the vehicle-,wheelsturniinthe opposite direction and raise the brake-shoes, so that the rounded bottoms thereof merely contact with the'wheels, 'thejstops13on' the under side of the shafts preventing the brake- Ice shoes from hearing against the wheels, as said stops will not permit otany further backward movement of the brake-rods. Thus the vehicle may be backed just as easily as though the same were not provided with any brake whatever.

Having thus described the operation of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction herein set forth, as various slight changes might be made therein which would fall within the limit and scope of my invention, and I consider myself clearly entitled to all such changes and modifications.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is 

